UNDP in Yemen

Women and children, first victims in armed conflict

02 Jul 2013

Part of the participants

ADEN, Yemen’s Ministry of Interior, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)/Emergency Capacity Development Facility (ECDF), continues its efforts to address the issue of Women and children as the first victims of armed conflicts. In this regard, the Ministry of Interior and UNDP have convened a second workshop on the impact of armed conflict on women and children in Aden for police officers from southern governorates. The first workshop was convened last week in Sana’a for police officers from center and northern governorates. The workshop started today under the patronage under the patronage of the Ministry of Interior at the police coast Guard training center.

In his opening speech, the Deputy Director of Aden Police Colonel Mohammed Musaed indicated that, women and children in Yemen have been affected by armed conflict that occurred in some governorates. He also stressed that, the Ministry of interior is committed to providing quality training to police officers to address this critical issue and enhance their skills in dealing with these at risk groups. He thanked UNDP’s Emergency Capacity Development Facility for its support in conducting this workshop in Aden for police officers from the southern governorates.

The Police Advisor for UNDP/ECDF, Mr. Mohammed Thatha, thanked the Governor and Chief of Police in Aden for their support in organizing this workshop. He indicated that women and children bear disproportionately the consequences of wars and suffer violations of human rights in situations of armed conflict, including terrorism, torture, disappearance, rape, ethnic cleansing, family, separation and displacement. Moreover, they endure lifelong social and psychological traumas. He also emphasized that both workshops, in Sana’a and Aden, aim at making the participants aware of the armed conflicts types that affect women and children and at improving their ability to alleviate the consequences of conflict on these vulnerable groups.

The opening ceremony was attended by senior police officers, UNDP officials, Law Enforcement and media.